Foolproof Tsoureki recipe – traditional Greek Easter bread with mahleb and mastiha just like yiayia used to make! This slightly sweet and fluffy bread is perfect for Easter but delicious year-round.
Measure the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mahlepi and ground mastic gum into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir briefly to combine.
Add the zest, eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat together on a low speed setting using the dough hook attachment until a sticky dough forms. Continue to mix until the dough forms a ball and is smooth. Don’t be tempted to add more flour unless the dough is very sticky!
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and place someplace warm to rise for an hour or until doubled. The dough should gently spring back if prodded with your finger.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and divide the dough into three pieces. I like to weigh the dough first to make sure each piece is of equal weight. Keep covered with plastic wrap.
Shape each piece into a ball shape. Flatten first then tuck the ends into the centre and roll between your hands to form a ball.
Flatten the ball with your hand and roll out to a rectangular shape. The dough may shrink as you are trying to roll it out. Leave it to rest for a few minutes then try again if that’s the case.
Roll the dough into a log shape as you would do a Swiss roll. Press the edges down gently with your fingertips as you are rolling to seal.
Roll each section into a rope of equal length.
Pinch the edges of the ropes to seal and braid loosely. Tuck the ends under and transfer your braided bundle onto a lined baking sheet.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rise for 60 - 90 minutes until your tsoureki is plump. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) for at least 30 minutes. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes or until deeply golden and sounding hollow when tapped underneath. You may need to cover the tsoureki after 20 minutes to avoid it browning too much.
Cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
• Mastiha (mastic gum) Mastiha is the resin of a small evergreen shrub that grows on the Greek island of Chios. To use in Tsoureki you grind the small crystal gum drops to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar. A little goes a long way as mastiha has a strong and very distinctive flavor. • Mahlepi (a.k.a mahleb, mahlab) is the small kernel of a Persian cherry tree. Mahleb has a subtle cherry / almond, sweet woody flavor. You can buy powdered mahlepi online or in Greek specialist grocery stores. You can add a few drops almond extract if you can’t purchase any. Storing TsourekiYour tsoureki should stay fresh for several days wrapped in a clean linen towel. It will taste amazing even after it starts becoming a little stale, simply pop a slice in the toaster to serve. You can also freeze the sliced loaf and toast directly from frozen.*contains affiliate links